BUG: Winhelp GPF in GDI.EXE when Using ATI Mach 32 Driver

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft Visual C++ for Windows, versions 1.0 and 1.5

SYMPTOMS

Winhelp causes a general protection fault (GPF) when it is used from within the Microsoft Visual Workbench.

CAUSE

This problem can be caused by using an old version of the ATI Mach 32 Windows version 3.1 video driver.

RESOLUTION

To solve this problem, do one of the following:

• Install a newer version of the display driver: contact ATI Customer Support at (905) 882-2626. The most recent drivers are available on the ATI bulletin board service (BBS) at (905) 764-9404.
• Modify the "[mach32]" section of WIN.INI file to set the following variables:

        DeviceBitmap=off
        DeviceBitmapDraw=off
  

  This information can also be found in the README.WRI file that is supplied with Visual C++.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a bug in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

MORE INFORMATION

Use the following steps to reproduce the problem:

1. In the Visual Workbench, run Winhelp by choosing any option from the Help menu. Leave the help file open.

2. Compile a program from within the Visual Workbench.

3. Attempt to open another help file by choosing another option from the Help menu. At this point, the GPF occurs.